* AdaptationDisplacement: Even after 2000, many people thought that the film was an original film and not an adaptation of a book.* AwardSnub: The film received a single [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Oscar]] nomination and won nothing.** Ellen Burstyn's heartbreaking performance as Sara lost the Academy Award for Best Actress to Creator/JuliaRoberts in ''Film/ErinBrockovich''. ** Creator/JenniferConnelly's acting got some nominations in different award systems and still won none.** The film's score has enjoyed a particular following long after the film's release, yet received no nomination. * CrowningMomentOfFunny: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7Xmtf600KU The unaltered scene of Hubert Selby Jr. as the guard.]]* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: Used really oddly to highlight decidedly unawesome events.** Special mention to the famous opening bombastic score set to the incredible sight of... two men pushing a television across Brooklyn.** Not to the mention the pure NightmareFuel of how well it captures the characters' SanitySlippage.** The movie's theme, "Lux Aeterna", is so famous it's heard by people before they've even seen the movie.* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: For some people, though by no means all. The quote on the main page really sums it up...* EarWorm: The film's famous theme (see above) can easily become this. Especially if you've heard it before.* EnsembleDarkhorse: Creator/KeithDavid as Little John of the club.* FirstInstallmentWins: Even though the film is the second feature length film by Darren Aronofsky, it is considered to be his best.* HarsherInHindsight: Harry losing an arm got even more horrific after reports of Russian synthetic heroin Krokodil made the rounds. * HeReallyCanAct: Marlon Wayans.* HilariousInHindsight: ** Creator/DylanBaker playing a doctor who is involved in an amputation? Wouldn't be the [[Film/SpiderMan2 last time]].** In the behind-the scenes footage, Marlon Wayans is seen making fun of [[Film/ThePhantomMenace Jar Jar Binks]], but immediately afterward he went on to play a similar annoying, cowardly black sidekick in ''Film/DungeonsAndDragons''.** [[Film/{{Hulk}} Betty Ross]] and [[Film/SuicideSquad the Joker]] are lovers! Comic book fanboy juice! Don't forget [[WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}} Goliath]].* JerkassWoobie: The opening scene establishes Harry as being quite a JerkAss to his mom, Sara, but later in the first act [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold subverts it]] by showing that he seems harsh sometimes, but he really does love and care about his mom and wants the best for her. [[BreakTheCutie Then the next two acts happen.]]* MemeticMutation: “So what're we gonna do now?” "Ass to ass." "ASS TO ASS!"** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE0UA8RREX4 The remix]] of the main theme practically has a life of its own now.* MostAnnoyingSound: "Can you hear me? Can you see me?" "Yes, sir." "Okay for work."* {{Narm}}: The excessive cuts, overly dramatic music, and oddly music video feel of some scenes can make them a bit hard to take seriously. Going by comments from the director, this may have been intentional, though.* OneSceneWonder: ** Creator/ChristopherMcDonald as the "JUICE" infomercial/motivational speaker Tappy Tibbons, whose program Sara watches and she believes she's getting invited to as a "contestant". They filmed an entire presentation of the "JUICE" program in one day with [=MacDonald=] improvising most of it. At the end of the shoot, ''everyone'' in attendance gave him a standing ovation.** Uncle Hank, better known as "the ass-to-ass guy". He later appeared in ''Film/BlackSwan''.** Creator/DylanBaker as the doctor who turns Harry and Tyrone in. He squeezes quite a lot of performance into a minute or so of screentime.* ParanoiaFuel: The film could make you think about staying away from your refrigerator.* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: The film's use of the "hip hop montage", a series of rapid cuts accompanied by sound effects, looks normal now, despite the fact that this was the film that popularised its use (Aronofsky previously used it in ''Film/{{Pi}}''.) This extends to the point where ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' used a similar montage to show Homer's reaction to eating a [=McRib=] sandwich, which [=McDonald's=] themselves then copied for a bacon wrap ad.* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: A viewer who agrees that DrugsAreBad is likely to see it this way.* SpecialEffectFailure: As sad as the film's ending is, it does get ruined when one notices Creator/JaredLeto's real arm pressed up against him can be seen under the blue sheet, and when people can see the cotton on the ground masquerading as snow (when the ladies try to console each other after seeing Sara) and that it was clearly shot in a summer day.* {{Squick}}: Harry's infected arm, which has practically withered away from repeated drug use.* TrueArtIsAngsty: If so, then this film is a masterpiece.* ValuesResonance: In late 2017, when opioids are now considered an epidemic, the book and the film have a great resurgence to a highly positive degree.* WhatAnIdiot: Be honest: [[spoiler:Harry not only noticing the infection on his arm but deciding to ''shoot into it'']] was not smart.* TheWoobie: ** [[BreakTheCutie Sara]] in particular comes off as the most sympathetic, having never gotten involved with the drug trade and simply wanting to have something to live for again. She plays the most part of a victim, being neglected by her son and doctor and appearing generally unhappy and lonely. Especially since she only wanted to lose weight and wasn't trying to get high in the first place. She is also a loving mother who genuinely cares greatly for her son, and this love seems to extend to Marion (whom she fantasizes about marrying her son, implying that she already thinks of Marion like a daughter and feels that Marion is a good match for him).** Tyrone, too, though he's not nearly as completely a victim of circumstance as Sara is. Of the four main characters, he's the only one who manages to get through the entire movie with his affection for his loved ones intact, and he's motivated primarily by his love for his mother... and then he ends up doing vomit-inducing hard labor as a young, black drug dealer in a Southern prison under openly racist guards. Some of the only touching moments in Winter are Tyrone holding Harry's hand in the work line, and calling for help because his friend is sick.